Jail staff finds marijuana stuffed in greeting card

A Portales woman accused of attempting to send marijuana in a Hallmark card to a Roosevelt County inmate is out on bond, according to a Roosevelt County Detention Center official.

Jassica Rodriguez, 30, was arrested Wednesday and charged with furnishing drugs or liquor to a prisoner, a fourth-degree felony. Rodriguez was released on a $5,000 bond Thursday.

The marijuana was discovered during a routine mail check, according to jail officials.

According to the affidavit for Rodriguez’s arrest, the one gram of marijuana was found inside of a Valentine’s Day Hallmark card.

The affidavit described the card and the envelope it came in as “emanating the odor of marijuana.”

The affidavit said the arresting officer found the front face of the card had been taken off and a piece of paper had been glued in to hold the marijuana.

The jail official who checks the mail said she could smell the marijuana prior to opening the envelope.

Jail staff did not immediately know who sent the letter because the return address written on the envelope had the name “Sexy Mamma” as well as a fake address.

But inside the envelope were pictures of Rodriguez and her children. Her name was also signed on the letter, according to the affidavit.

The arresting officer ran a records check and found that the photos in the envelope matched the driver’s license photo of Rodriguez, the affidavit said.

Jail Administrator David Casanova said it’s common for inmate mail to violate the jail’s policy.

“A violation of the mail policy happens two to three times a week,” Casanova said. “It can be anything from inappropriate photographs to battery-operated cards.”

Casanova said the routine mail-check is one of the ways his staff can ensure the jail’s security.

“I think it’s important we have an overall responsibility to the community, jail staff and the inmates, to provide them a safe place during their incarceration,” Casanova said. “The measures we take, such as screening mail, help to provide a safe environment for everyone.”